Dry cleaning apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1961 INVEN TOR. BYRON L. BRUCKEN HISATKIEY JvltlH 1965 B. L. BRUCKEN 3,200,622

DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- BYRON L. BRUCKEN ma ATT nmsv United States Patent 3,200,622 DRYCLEANING APPARATUS Byron L. Bracken, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed May24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,296 1 Claim. (Cl. 68-48) This invention relatesto a domestic appliance and more particularly to a system for filteringdry cleaning solvent.

In the dry cleaning art, it is necessary to provide means for filteringthe dry cleaning solvent in order to maintain the solvent in anuncontaminated condition. Prior art equipment for performing thisfiltering function has been rather complicated and costly and hasrequired frequent maintenance. Further, considerable technical knowhowis necessary to maintain such equipment at top operating efliciency.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simplifiedfilter arrangement for dry cleaning solvent which incorporates acentrifuge for filtering the solvent.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a low pressuresolvent system for a dry cleaning apparatus.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a drycleaning solvent system with a gravity fed centrifuge incorporating arotatable wire basket for supporting a built-up filter mediumthe solventbeing filtered as it moves radially outwardly from the inside of thebasket to the outside before returning to the dry cleaning apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention areclearly shown.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of a dry cleaning system suitablefor use with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of the centrifuge filterof this invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a top elevational View of the filter shown in FIGURE 2 withparts broken away to show the centrifuge basket.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, aplurality of clothes or fabric agitating machines are shown manifoldedtogether to form a group of dry cleaning machines. Each of the drycleaning machines 10 could be a conventional washing machine having avertical spin tub 12 such as shown in the patents to Sisson 2,758,685,issued August 14, 1956, or Clark 2,366,236 issued January 2, 1945. Aconventional washing machine of this type, in addition to the spin tub12, may include an agitator 14 and an agitating and spinning mechanismshown generally at 16 selectively to spin the tub 12 or oscillate theagitator 14. Each of the washing machines 10 is connected through asupply or fill conduit such as 18 which overlies the top Opening of thespin tub 12. In each of the supply conduits is located a solenoidactuated valve such as 20 which is operated from a conventional timermechanism and coin box (not shown). In other words, the valve 20 isopened when the proper amount of money is placed in the coin mechanismof the selected machine 10. The supply conduits 18 are manifolded into afill conduit manifold 22 which is in turn connected by way of a conduit24 with a clean solvent storage tank 26. Makeup solvent for the storagetank 26 may be supplied the tank through a makeup line 28 overlying thestorage tank.

Since the spin tub 12 is adapted for rotation, any solvent which entersthe top of the tub may be spun or centrifuged therefrom when the agitateand spinning mechanism 16 is properly energized. Such solvent will be3,266,622 I Patented Aug. 17, 1955 thrown from the spinning tub and willenter a drain manifold 30 through a drain conduit 32 extending from eachmachine to the drain manifold. In each of the drain conduits 32 islocated a check valve such as 34 to prevent back fiow into any one ofthe non-operating machines 10. The drain manifold is closed at one endand connects at its other end into an elongated nozzle 36 whichdistributes contaminated solvent over the face of a centrifuge filter 40as will be described next following.

The centrifuge filter 40 of this invention is comprised of an outerimperforate cylindrical filter container or casing 42 which includes atop opening 44 closed by an access door 46. A top wall 48 of the filtercontainer serves to support a motor 50 which is connected by a resilientsupport 52 to the filter container. Within the container 42, is locateda spin filter basket 54 having a top opening 56 defined by an annularradially inwardly directed ledge 58. The circumferential or peripheralwall of the spin filter basket 54 is comprised of a reticulated screen60 which extends between the ledge 58 and a bottom wall 62 of the filterbasket, the bottom wall having a plurality of outflow ports 64. Notethat the drain manifold nozzle 36 extends into the spin basket 54 andhas a plurality of orifices 66 which are directed in a manner to spreadthe solvent over the entire inner surface of the screen 60 and also todirect the solvent toward the screen tangentially or angularly in thedirection of spin basket rotation. This angular impingement on therotating basket keeps the jets of solvent from breaking up or disturbingthe filter bed.

The motor is connected through a shaft 70 with the bottom wall 62 of thespin basket 54 and thus the spin basket is rotated whenever the motor 50is energized. A shaft retainer 72 is positioned on the bottom wall ofthe drum 42 to limit the amplitude of the oscillations of the spin shaftwhen the basket is spinning with an unbalanced load.

An annular filter bed shown generally at St) is caused to be built up onthe radially inner side of the cylindrical screen wall 60. Such a filterbuild-up is conventional in nature and is comprised of a fine filtermedium 82, a carbon filter portion 84 and a coarse radially innerportion 86 which serves as a protective shield to prevent the force ofthe solvent jets from the nozzle 36 from breaking up the annularlaminations of the filter bed. In building the filter 80 the ingredientsfor the filter may be placed sequentially within a filter slurrycontainer 88 which includes a manually operated valve 90 for admittingthe filter slurry to the drain manifold 30. To effect the rebuilding ofa filter bed, a by-pass conduit 92 is connected at one end into thedrain manifold and at its other end to a return conduit 94. A sump pump96 serves to withdraw filtered solvent through a suction line 97 from asump or low portion 98 in the filter container drum 42. A manuallyoperated valve 100 is disposed between-the pump 96 and the clean solventstorage tank 26, a valve 102 between the pump 96 and the by-pass conduit92 and a valve 104 in a drain or waste conduit 106.

In building a filter bed on the spin basket 54, it is necessary first toclose the valves or flow control means 100 and 104 and open the valvesor flow control means 102 and 90. The pump 96 is energized to withdrawsolvent from the sump 98 where it flows by gravity and to circulate itto the nozzle 36. Since the valve 99 is open, the filter slurry entersthe center portion of the spin basket 54 by way of the nozzle 36 and isdistributed or ejected toward the inner face of the screen 60. The motor50 is energized at this time to rotate the spin basket 54 so that thefilter slurry will be slowly deposited on the radially inner side of thescreen 60 in the form of an annular filter bed. When the filter has beenbuilt up, the valves 90 and 102 are closed and the valve 100 opened.Thus,

up the filter medium and to permit it to form a slurry' with the solventin the drum 42. Then the pump 9-6 is energized and the valve 104 isopened so that the slurry may be pumped to a remote drainthe slurryleaving the basket 54 by way of the outlets 64.

It should be understood that the filter medium 80 disclosed hereinaboveis only by way of example and may be formed of any suitable filtercomponents.

Turning now to FIGURE 2, a modified centrifuge filter 110 is set forth,the same reference numerals being used for equivalent parts. Here alsothe filter 110 includes the outer generally cylindrical drum 42 whichencloses" a cylindricalfilter basket 114. The basket 114 difiers fromthat set forth hereinbefore in that it includes an,

inner cylindrical screen 116 supported from the bottom wall 118 to forma lint and button or particulate filter. In such an arrangement, theinner screen 116 minimizes the solvent impact on the built-up filter 80to efiect a longer lter bed life and also prevents sliming on thesurface of the filter bed.

Note that both filters 4t) and 110 provide a'clearance such as 120between the top of the filter drum and the basket, which effects aby-pass around the filter bed 80 when solvent flows to the spin baskets54 or 114 faster than it can be filtered through the medium 86. Notealso that the basket 114 includes a plurality of outflow ports 122 whichpermits the spin basket to be drained when the filter bed is beingremoved.

It should now be seen that an improved filtering arrangement has beeneffected for a solvent recirculating system which uses a centrifuge inaddition to a filter medium for cleaning contaminated solvents.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

In combination with a solvent storage tank and a dry cleaning machinehaving a spin tub adapted to receive clothes to be dry cleaned andconnected to said storage,

tank for receiving solvent therefrom, means for agitat ing in said tuband means for selectively oscillating said agitating means to clean saidclothes and for spinning said tub to remove the solvent from the clothesand the tub, a filtration system for said dry cleaning solventcomprising a centrifugal filter for simultaneously decontaminatingthesolvent of solid'contaminants and dissolved contaminants, said filterhaving a closed, stationary filter drum and'a rotatable cylindricalscreen basket enclosed in said drum for supporting a filter bedincluding a radially inner layer of coarse filtering medium, a radially.Outer layer of fine filtering medium and a layer of carbonaceous mediumsandwiched therebetween on a sidewall of said basket, said basket havingan open top portion spaced from the top of said drum to permit solventto overflow the top of said basket when fiow through said filter bed isrestricted and a plurality of outflow ports on the bottom thereof spacedradially inwardly from said filter bed and in communication with saidfilter drum, spray means in communication with the spin tubto receivecontaminated dry cleaning solvent being removed therefrom and having anoutlet end in spray relationship to said filter bed, inner screen meansbetween said spray means and said filter bed to filter lint and buttonsfrom the solvent, said inner screen means being spaced from said filterbed in intercepting relationship to the solvent from said spray means tominimize the impact of said solvent on said filter bed by breaking upthe solvent sprayed toward saidfilter bed, means operative with saidspray means for rotating said basket to centrifuge contaminated solventfrom the radially inner portion of said basket through said'filter' bedto the filter drum on the radiallyouter side of said basket thereby todecontaminate the solvent, pump means connected to said filter drum andsaid storage'tank for returning the decontaminated solvent from saiddrumto said storage tank, means adapted to contain a slurry of one ofsaid filtering mediums and said carbonaceous medium, and flow controlmeans for periodically connecting said 'spray means to said slurrycontaining means for spraying a new filter bed on said basket, said flowcontrol means including means for disconnecting said pump means fromsaid storage tank and for connecting said pump means to said spray meanswhereby to cause solvent pumped from said filter drum to mix with saidslurry and facilitate'the building of said new filter bed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 337,050 3/86 DeLisser 210 193 X 725,549 4/03 Ellis 210-'211 X 827,024 7/06, n66 210 3801,129,682 2/15 Irwin 210 193 1,138,608 5/15 Dibbets 210/193 X 1,160,05211/15 .Dibbets 210 193 1,165,567 12/15 Brown 210 193 1,669,235 5/28Fenton' 210- X 1,869,797 8/32 Cleaver 21078 2,044,828 6/36 Angelus eta1. 8-l42 2,107,909 2/38' Schaaf 210-193 2,130,817 9/38 Shaw 68'-18 X2,153,581 4/39 Millar 210-493 X 2,325,635 8/43 Schutte' 210-406 X ,8666/51 Weaver et al. 210-75 X 2,828,021 3/58 Ruegg 2l0-377X 2,832,473 4/58Oberholtzer -210- 206 X 2,968,401 1/61 Sheldon 209 144 3,063,564 11/62 1Smith et al. 2lO-78 REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

